The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

MAN OVERBOARD

Over and out
Restraint has never been my strong suit. In
part because I’m baffled at the very idea of
limiting one’s options. Life is short therefore
why not squeeze out as much as possible?
Hence if it's there for the taking... why not
grab it? Unfortunately over indulgence isn’t
good for you. Take last night's degustation
menu at La Reserve - the private restaurant
onboard. By the end of seven courses and
at least fourteen glasses of carefully curated
vino - I was done. Enough was enough. All
to prove that gluttony can cause even the
best of us to ponder the idea of saying NO.

Off the grid
For many reasons I struggle with declining an
open invitation. However time has taught me
that too much of a good thing is a big mistake.
And too much of a bad thing such as negativity
or stress can have even worse ramifications.
Which is why I’m purposefully avoiding the
news while on vacation. Since embarking on
the campaign trail - Donald Trump’s political
pursuits prompted me to be political for the
first time in my life. Up until then I was too
busy to worry about what was happening in
Washington. Yet now watching CNN is akin
to a roadside car wreck. I have to look…

Reality check
One must acknowledge that our President’s
antics can be almost entertaining. Obviously
he enjoys being in the spot light. However
while he may have led the ratings on The
Apprentice, he has yet to garner America's
approval. Watching the destruction of our
democracy from afar is a futile exercise at
best. Forcing me to worry about what to do
on a daily basis. But enough about my angst.
As I said above I’m taking a vacation from
reality. In the hope that somehow I can relax
and leave it all behind. Which is why taking
a cruise was perfect for this leftist lemming.

Stay the course
While onboard this leviathan some one else
is making all of the decisions. They navigate
their pre-determined route and schedule our
comings and goings. Hence there is little to
do beyond sleep and eat. Having absolutely
no responsibility takes a tad of adjustment.
One which I willingly made post crossing the
gangway. Thus in truth I’m still very much in
control as I made the purposeful decision to
sail away. The question is why can’t we all
flip said switch on a regular basis? There has
to be some way to absolve oneself of any/all
responsibility without booking a pricey ticket.

Safe and sound
For the last day we’ve literally been on a roll.
Fortunately I find the gentle swaying of this
vessel quite comforting. For me it conjures
up primal memories of the womb. Thus for
most of yesterday I slept like a baby. Which
is akin to winter in rural Montana. Along
with snow comes subzero temps. Which
leaves one no choice but to hunker down
and stay warm. One's options are limited to
stoking the fire, sipping soup, or finishing
that book. Hence those dark times are the
equivalent of a post Christmas staycation.
One which anybody can savor for FREE.

Closet case
Which only proves that it's all about how one
considers their situation. Anyone can choose
be in a frenzy rather than opt out of the mess.
Thus much like opting to not eat the entire bag
of chips - we're in charge of our own destiny.
While some may enjoy self-inflicted torture,
most just want to live each day to it's fullest.
So while you over indulge in all of the holiday
fuss - know that redemption is just around the
corner. Soon you be free to do whatever you
choose. While cleaning out that closet may not
be the same as sitting on a beach - it can be just
as indulgent. So come January let's all escape!